Wine Notes
Madeira Wine Notes — 25/06/2008
History
This volcanic island off the African coast has a lush semi-tropical environment of rampant greenery and promiscuous horticulture. The climate on the low slopes is warm with limited rain, this falls on the peaks and the water is dispersed over the island by drainage channels known as levadas.
Madeira’s volcanic soils are exceptionally fertile, though they are cut into steep terraces they are nothing like as ordered as in the Douro. Vines can be seen occupying odd patches of ground, often in seemingly inaccessible positions.
Madeira was highly favoured in Victorian England, its other great market was the southern states of the USA. The styles of the wines each had their place, dry Sercial as an apertif alternative to Sherry, the sweet styles as an alternative to Port, and medium dry Verdelho as the chosen tipple of ladies’ afternoon or late morning Madeira parties.
Madeira went seriously out of fashion and as prices for grapes fell, the famous vineyards for Malvasia and Bual were replanted with bananas or tropical fruit, and many of the cooler higher vineyards for Verdello and Sercial were replanted with the high yielding Tinto Negro Mole.
Madeiras have a ‘burnt’ character that populates both aroma and flavour. This was originally infused in the wines when they were slowly baked during long sea journeys through warm climes, particularly if they were going to the Americas. Today the wines are heated at the cellars in a process known as ‘estufagem’.
The Madeira producers are making serious efforts to regain the lost ground, and the quality of these fascinating wines has never been higher within living memory.
The Vines & Wines
There are four main styles of Madeira and these take their names from the variety which they are made from. In the past this was abused with wine made from Tinto Negro Mole or hybrid vines being passed off as classic varietal Madeira, but recent wine legislation requires that wines actually are made from 95% of the variety on the label.
Sercial: The driest style, from grapes planted in the highest vineyards. It has high acidity and an intense fascinating flavour with notes of citrus rind and can take decades of cask ageing.
Verdelho: Medium dry wines, with an easy drinking character. Ideal with a slice of Madeira cake!
Bual (Boal): Medium sweet, this is the least seen style of Madeira.
Malmsey: Conceived as Portugal’s answer to the revered Malvasia, this is the sweetest style and has a delectable, tangy flavour. The Malvasia grapes (originally from Crete) are grown in the lowest, warmest vineyards.
Tinto Negro Mole: The most widely planted grape, but not a name you see on the label. Wines made from it are labelled dry, medium or sweet.
